Roadtripping

Beverly Hills Hotel: Celebrating its first 100 years

Here’s a hotel that probably isn’t on many road-trip itineraries: The Beverly Hills Hotel (although it once had stables for guests’ horses). The Southern California hotel celebrates its 100^th anniversary on Saturday. It was built at a cost of $500,000 and opened two years before Beverly Hills incorporated as a city. Rooms here start at $500 a night, more for the elegant bungalows where Elizabeth Taylor honeymooned, Marilyn Monroe reportedly holed up with Yves Montand, and Howard Hughes hid. Dinner at the Polo Lounge – where Marlene Dietrich eventually convinced management to allow women to wear slacks – runs $18 for a bowl of clam chowder or a wedge salad, and $55 for ribeye (roasted mushrooms and whipped potatoes included). But if you’re in the neighborhood, stop in for one of the specialty drinks ($17) that the Polo Lounge created for the occasion. Consider it a taste of history. Read the full story here.

 

Oceania's Riviera christened in Barcelona

Oceania Cruises’ new ship, the Riviera, was christened Friday morning in Barcelona, by Cat Cora, TV chef and the ship’s godmother, and a 15-liter bottle of Veuve Clicquot that was smashed against the hull.

In a ceremony attended by about 1,300 people, Deacon Ricardo Rodriguez-Martos of Barcelona’s Apostleship of the Sea bestowed the traditional blessings. Frank J. Del Rio, the line’s founder and chairman, and Kunal S. Kamlani, the line’s president, presided over the festivities.

After a short christening cruise, the 1,250-passenger ship will take its maiden voyage from Venice to Athens, then cruise the Mediterranean until November. The Riviera will be part of the Miami winter cruise ship fleet, arriving at the end of November for Caribbean cruises.

The Riviera is a sister ship to Oceania’s Marina, which debuted in January 2011. Like the Marina, the Riviera has an emphasis on gourmet cuisine, with a Jacques Pepin restaurant and the Bon Appetit Culinary Center, which offers hands-on cooking classes.

The line has a total of four ships, including the 684-guest Regatta and Nautica.

 

Roadside attraction: Rock City

Just inside Georgia, south of the Tennessee state line and about six miles south of Chattanooga, Rock City sits atop Lookout Mountain, a senior citizen among U.S. roadside attractions.

Rock City, which opened in 1932, is built around 200-million-year-old rock formations. It offers caverns, a swinging bridge, fabulous views, a 100-foot-high waterfall, statues of storybook characters and more. National Geographic named it one of America’s iconic places.

This year Rock City celebrates its 80^th anniversary. Read the full story here. Here is Rock City's website.